aws Production Transition: Up to €400,000 for GreenTech Startups

What to expect in this issue

• Deep Dive - €400,000 Grant for GreenTech Companies
• StartMatch News - New Blog with All Funding Information
• FörderRadar - New and expiring grants

🤿 Deep Dive: Up to €400,000 – the aws Production Transition Program

You've developed an innovative energy or environmental technology and want to bring it into series production? That's exactly what the aws Production Transition for Energy and Environmental Technologies at Start-ups is for. A program that many founders don't have on their radar, even though it's one of the most attractive grants available for young companies in Austria.

What Is Being Funded?

The grant supports the step from development to series production. It sounds technical, but at its core it's simple: you have a working prototype or validated technology, and now it's about turning it into a scalable product.

Specifically, it covers technologies in these areas:

• Energy efficiency and energy savings
• Renewable energies
• Smart grids
• Storage technologies
• Electromobility

The focus is clearly on climate and energy topics. If your startup is active in one of these fields, this program is exactly right for you.

How Much Is Available?

Up to €400,000 as a non-repayable grant. That's pure money – no loan, no equity stake. The funding rate is a maximum of 45% of eligible project costs.

Eligible costs include:

• Personnel costs (your team working on the project)
• External development and consulting costs (e.g. engineering firms, certifications)
• Material costs (prototypes, test materials)
• Tangible and intangible investments (machinery, software, patents)

An example: Your startup develops a new heat pump technology and you need €600,000 to set up series production. With a funding rate of 45%, you receive €270,000 as a grant – the rest comes from your own resources or other financing sources.

Who Can Apply?

The requirements are manageable:

• Your company is no more than 6 years old (from founding date)
• You have a registered office or establishment in Austria
• The project is carried out in Austria
• You are an SME (small or medium-sized enterprise)
• The application must be submitted before the project starts – don't begin first and apply later
• Your company must not be a "company in difficulty" in the EU legal sense

How Does the Submission Work?

Applications are submitted directly to Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws). Submissions are possible on a rolling basis until 31 December 2026, so there is no fixed deadline – you can submit at any time.

The maximum project duration is 24 months. During this time, aws supports the industrial implementation of your project.

Why Is This Relevant for You?

Many startups are stuck in the so-called "Valley of Death" – the phase between a working prototype and a market-ready product. This is exactly where many fail because the money runs out. The aws Production Transition addresses exactly this problem:

• €400,000 grant is a significant sum that can make the difference
• Non-repayable
• Broad cost coverage
• Rolling submissions

If you work in the field of energy or environmental technology and are currently planning the step from development to series production, you should take a close look at this grant.

All information is available here: aws Production Transition

Not sure whether your project is eligible? Simply write to us at robert@startmatch.ai – we're happy to give you our assessment free of charge.

🗞️ StartMatch News: New Blog

We now have a blog! At www.startmatch.ai/blog you can now find articles about grants, financing, and everything founders in Austria should know.

The blog is designed to help and inspire you. Whether you're looking for your first grant or already in the middle of an application: we explain complex topics simply and practically.

To start, you'll find there among other things:

• An overview of the best funding programs for the early phase
• Everything about the FFG Base Program 2026
• Our funding glossary with the most important terms

📡 FörderRadar: New and Expiring Grants

Important news about grants in Austria.

These Grants Are Open for Submission

BRIDGE 2026/1 – Grundlagennahe Kooperationsprojekte
Open since 11.03.2026 - Submission deadline 11.06.2026

Praktika für Studentinnen 2026
Open since 09.03.2026 - Submission deadline 08.05.2026

These Grants Are Expiring Soon

Digitale Technologien und digitale Lösungen für den Menschen
Submission deadline only until 14.04.2026

Digitaler Zwilling Österreich 2025
Submission deadline only until 15.04.2026

Best of luck with your projects!

Best regards,
Robert & your StartMatch Team 👋